Indian cooking
Indian cooking / Dishes / Dak Bungalow Roast Chicken
Dak Bungalow Roast Chicken (Whole Roast Chicken Cooked in Yoghurt with Mustard & Garam Masala)

Dak Bungalow Roast Chicken

Whole Roast Chicken Cooked in Yoghurt with Mustard & Garam Masala
Non-vegetarianOrigin east of India

A whole chicken marinated in yoghurt, mustard and warm spices, then roasted and basted with ghee until tender. The result is lightly tangy, aromatic and rich, with a golden, spiced skin.

Marinade masala

27 gStirred into the yoghurt marinade (step 2)
02
1.5 g½ teaspoon
spice
03
5 g1 tablespoon
spice
04
1.3 g½ teaspoon
spice blend
Stir into the yoghurt mixture until evenly blended.

Everything else

02
41 g3 tablespoons
oil/fat
03
30 g2 tablespoons
dairy
04
4.2 g1 teaspoon
sweetener
05
15 g3 teaspoons
other
06
14 g1 tablespoon
oil/fat
07
to taste
salt

Method

  1. Whisk 30 g Greek yoghurt, 15 g English mustard, 4.2 g granulated sugar, 13.5 g vegetable oil and salt to taste in a mixing bowl.
  2. Stir in the marinade masala: 3.9 g Kashmiri chilli powder, 1.5 g ground turmeric, 5.4 g ground coriander, 1.3 g garam masala and 16.2 g garlic and ginger paste until smooth.
  3. Rub the marinade over 1000 g whole chicken until the skin is completely coated.
  4. Put the chicken on a plate, cover loosely with foil if you like, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  5. Take the chicken out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking and leave it at room temperature.
  6. Heat the oven to 180°C fan (400°F). Line a deep baking tray with foil and set a wire rack over it.
  7. Place the chicken on the rack and put the tray in the oven; roast for 1 hour 10 minutes.
  8. Baste the chicken with 41.4 g ghee or butter every 20 minutes during roasting.
  9. Continue until the chicken is cooked through and the juices at the thickest part run clear; turn off the oven.
  10. Lift the chicken out, cover loosely with foil and rest in a warm spot for 15 minutes.
  11. Carve the chicken and serve.

Don't have something?

Whole chicken
  • Chicken pieces

    Use the same weight; joints cook faster, so reduce roasting time by 15–20 minutes and check at the bone.

  • Chicken breast and leg pieces

    Use the same weight; brown breast later or remove earlier as it dries out.

  • Chicken leg

    Use the same weight; legs need 10–15 minutes more than breast, so cook to tenderness.

Ghee or butter
  • Ghee

    Use the same weight. Gives a richer aroma and nuttier taste; if the dish already uses butter for finishing, ghee can make it slightly heavier.

  • Butter

    Use the same weight. Lower smoke point than ghee, so keep the heat moderate; if unsalted, add a small pinch of salt.

  • Vegetable oil or ghee

    Use about 90% of the weight. Less rich flavour; good when you want a lighter result.

Greek yoghurt
Kashmiri chilli powder
  • Dried kashmiri chilli

    Grind deseeded dried pods to an equal weight of powder; gives identical vivid red colour and gentle warmth.

  • Red chilli powder

    Use 25% of the weight mixed with sweet paprika for colour; straight red chilli powder is substantially hotter and will make the dish fiery.

  • Chilli powder

    Use one-third of the weight; the sauce will be less intensely red and notably sharper in heat.

Ground turmeric
  • Ground ginger

    Use 50% of the weight. Mimics turmeric's warm, earthy, rhizome background, but provides none of the golden-yellow colour.

  • Saffron

    Steep a tiny pinch (0.1 g per 2 g turmeric) in 2 tbsp warm water; use to match the rich golden hue. Contributes an aristocratic, honeyed floral flavour rather than earthy bitterness.

Ground coriander
  • Coriander seeds

    Dry-roast lightly in a pan and grind to a fine powder; use equal weight (1:1). Offers a noticeably fresher, brighter citrus note.

  • Ground cumin

    Use 50% to 75% of the weight. Lacks the floral, citrusy profile of coriander and turns the gravy heavier, earthier, and darker.

  • Garam masala

    Use 50% of the weight and stir in near the end of cooking. Adds warmth and depth since it contains ground coriander, but introduces stronger spices like clove and cinnamon.

Garam masala
  • Ground cumin

    Use 50% of the weight mixed with equal parts ground coriander and a pinch of ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground green cardamom. Sprinkle near the end for a warming finish.

  • Lentil stew spice mix

    Use 75% of the weight. Simmer briefly in the gravy; imparts roasted warmth and complexity, though it adds a slight tang and earthy lentil undertone.

Granulated sugar
  • Jaggery

    Use equal weight; grate or shave finely so it dissolves rapidly, giving a warm, caramel-like sweetness and slightly darker sauce.

English mustard
  • English mustard powder

    Use 50% of the weight as powder, mix with an equal weight of water and stand for 10 minutes; sharper, fresher heat.

  • Mustard powder

    Use 50% of the weight, mix with an equal weight of water; similar heat but less rounded.

  • Wholegrain mustard

    Use the same weight; milder and seedy, so reduce any added salt slightly.

Ginger garlic paste
  • Ginger and garlic paste

    Use the same weight; the difference is only the order of the names.

  • Garlic paste

    Mix with an equal weight of ginger paste and use the same total weight.

  • Garlic

    For 20 g paste use about 10 g crushed garlic and 10 g grated ginger root with a splash of water. Add a little extra water if the dish looks dry.

Vegetable oil
  • Peanut oil

    Use 1:1 by weight. Handles high-heat frying identically and introduces a very subtle, pleasant nuttiness.

  • Ghee

    Use 1:1 by weight. Yields a much richer, authentic aroma and a glossy, heavier mouthfeel.

  • Mustard oil

    Use 1:1 by weight. Heat until smoking, then cool slightly before cooking to temper its intensely pungent, sharp mustard kick.

Similar dishes

Anardana Murgh
Pomegranate & Chilli Spiced Chicken
Anardana Murgh tastes savoury and lightly sour from pomegranate powder with gentle green-chilli heat, while this dish tastes of mustard tang and warm garam masala from a yoghurt marinade and ghee basting.
  • Same: Anardana Murgh shares chicken, Kashmiri chilli powder, ground coriander, garam masala, garlic, ginger, vegetable oil and salt with this dish.
  • Different: Anardana Murgh uses chicken thigh, white onion, pomegranate powder, green bird's-eye chilli and water or stock, and it lacks this dish's whole chicken, Greek yoghurt, English mustard, ghee or butter and sugar.
Kadhai Chicken Chargha
Kadhai Chicken Chargha tastes smoky, tangy and gently hot, while this dish tastes of a gentle mustard tang and warm garam masala.
  • Same: Kadhai Chicken Chargha shares with this dish a yoghurt marinade with garlic and ginger, Kashmiri chilli powder, ground coriander, turmeric, garam masala, vegetable oil and salt.
  • Different: Kadhai Chicken Chargha uses bone-in chicken cooked in oil with cumin seed, dried Kashmiri red chilli, fresh ginger and coriander leaves, while this dish uses a whole chicken roasted and basted with ghee plus English mustard and sugar.
Tandoori Chicken Tikka
Tandoori Chicken Tikka tastes tangy and savoury with lime and chaat masala and a light char, while this dish has a gentle mustard tang and warm garam masala flavour from a moist ghee-basted roast.
  • Same: Tandoori Chicken Tikka shares a yoghurt marinade with garlic, ginger, Kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala and ground coriander, and it is cooked by dry heat like this dish.
  • Different: Tandoori Chicken Tikka uses bite-size chicken thigh and adds lime, chaat masala, chickpea flour, saffron, cinnamon and dried fenugreek, while this dish uses a whole chicken with English mustard, turmeric and ghee basting and no lime or chaat masala.
Punjabi Handi Murgh
Chicken Curry with Cardamom, Ginger, Fried Onions and Garam Masala
Punjabi Handi Murgh tastes like a thick onion-rich gravy with cardamom aroma, tomato sourness and fresh green chilli heat, while this dish is a moist roast with a mustard tang and warm garam masala.
  • Same: Punjabi Handi Murgh shares with this dish ghee, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, ground coriander, garam masala, garlic and ginger, and chicken as the main ingredient.
  • Different: Punjabi Handi Murgh is a bone-in chicken curry built on 400 g onion and 100 g tomato with black and green cardamom, green bird’s eye chilli and coriander leaf, while this dish is a whole roast chicken marinated in yoghurt and English mustard with sugar and no onion or tomato.